Exactly one week ago, Dwyane Wade was held to five points on 2-13 shooting as the Pacers mauled the at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse to take a 2-1 series lead. Tonight, Wade flipped script on the Pacers, and ended their season in the process as the Heat won game 6 by a final score of 105-93.

Wade was absolutely electric in Game 6 in a way that only Wade can be. When Wade’s mid-range jumper is working, he’s almost completely impossible to stop, and his jumper was working like gangbusters. Wade went glass from mid-range time and time again, and the results were positive, to say the least — Wade made all 8 of his mid-range jumpers from the left side of the court, which allowed him to get into the paint with impunity and completely pick apart the Pacers’ defense. Wade finished with 41 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 17-25 from the floor, and his offensive onslaught is the primary reason why the Heat won Game 6.

LeBron James didn’t match Wade’s output, but he had an excellent game as well, recording 28 points, 6 rebounds, and a game-high 7 assists for the Heat. It’s not often that you’ll see a 3-time MVP put up that kind of a statline in a close-out playoff game and be a complete non-story after the game, but that’s what makes this Heat team so unique.

With LeBron and especially Wade both having great games, the Heat didn’t need much out of their supporting cast, and they got what they needed from the three-point shooting of Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers. Chalmers has been inconsistent throughout the playoffs, and the perpetually banged-up Mike Miller has been a massive disappointment throughout his time with the Heat, but the two combined to make all seven of Miami’s three-pointers on just 11 attempts between them. Miller’s shooting in particular was a pleasant surprise — Miller shot 4-7 from beyond the arc, which is just the third time Miller has made four or more threes in a game since signing with the Heat.

Shane Battier came back to earth in a major way in Game 6 — he was forced to play 40 minutes thanks to Udonis Haslem and only shot 1-7 from the field while allowing David West to score 24 points on 10-16 shooting, but Chalmers and Miller were able to pick up the slack for him and give LeBron and Wade enough support to close out the series.

Outside of strong performances from West and George Hill, who finished the game with 18 points, the Pacers didn’t have much going for them. Roy Hibbert had just 12 points on 8 field goal attempts. Danny Granger shot 6-14. The Pacer bench was outscored by Miami’s. The Pacers are a young, deep, good team that had a serious chance in this series, especially after Bosh went down, but they ultimately simply didn’t have the firepower to keep up with what James and Wade were able to do. This is a very, very, good basketball team, but they might need a lot of things to go their way if they ever want to seriously contend for a championship with their relative lack of star power.

Miami will now move onto the Eastern Conference Finals against either the Celtics or the 76ers, and will almost certainly be sizable favorites against either team, even though early reports indicate that Chris Bosh will not be back for either of the first two games of the series. Miami should feel good about this series victory, and neither Boston or Philadelphia looks all that menacing right now, but this is no time for the Heat to rest on their laurels. They’re still missing the 3rd member of their “big three,” they’re about to go up against one of the 3 best defensive teams in the league this season, and they’re only one home loss in the first two games away from finding themselves on the back foot in the series. And the Heat know better than anyone that any finish other than a championship will be a complete failure for them.

The Pelicans are disappointing this season — it is Anthony Davis vs. the world down there. Which is the main reason they are 7-16 this season. While things have gotten better since Jrue Holiday‘s return, Davis is averaging a league-best 31.4 points per game, it then drops off to Holiday at 15.4, and then E'Twaun Moore at 11.1.

When a team struggles, usually that is a bad sign for the coach. Not because it’s always their fault, but because GMs choose not to fire themselves for poor roster construction. Which leads to the question: Alvin Gentry, are you concerned about your job? (Warning, NSFW)

New Orleans’ struggles are not on Gentry, certainly not completely. He’d like a roster that can play uptempo, that has depth. What he got instead was a good point guard, an elite 4/5, a rookie in Buddy Hield that maybe pans out down the line, and then… nada. And the roster Gentry has often is banged up.

If anyone is in trouble, it is GM Dell Demps. Remember, Danny Ferry was hired last summer for the vague role of “special advisor.” Gentry is in his second year, and the issue is the roster he was given. But the Pelicans are a patient organization that values continuity, so… who knows. But the clock is ticking on Davis;, it’s years away, but the Pelicans need to build a team around him and are far from that right now.

Jones told the Beacon Journal he will retire after next season, which will be his 15th in the NBA. His ultimate dream is to ride off after three consecutive championships in Cleveland

“I know playing 15 years is a number where I can look back and I can be like, ‘I accomplished something,’ ” Jones said. “Fourteen vs. 15 may not be much, but to be able to say I played 15 years, that’s enough for me to hang ’em up.”

Jones’ contract expires after the season, so the Cavs will have a say in whether he returns. Safe to say if LeBron wants him back, Jones will be back.

But the Heat got into trouble relying on washed-up veterans around LeBron, wasting valuable roster spots on players who could no longer contribute.

Is that Jones? Not yet. Though he’s out of the rotation, he has still made 11-of-12 open 3-pointers this season. There’s a role for him as spot-up shooter when Cleveland needs one.

Still, the Cavaliers ought to be mindful of Jones’ likely decline over the next year and a half. Plus, it’s not a certainty he holds to his timeline. Cavs veterans have a history of changing their mindon retirement.

Phil Jackson wants us to know Carmelo Anthony can hold on to the ball too long and stall out the offense.

Shocking. Such a revelation. It’s not like he knew that when he gave Anthony a five-year contract extension… oh, wait, everybody did know that already.

Which leads to my criticism of Jackson in this PBT Extra. Taking a shot at a player as a coach who sees said player every day comes off differently than the same thing from the ivory tower criticism of a GM. Plus, Jackson’s timing made no sense.

The New York Knicks were on a four-game winning streak, they have looked like a potential playoff team in the East, team chemistry has been pretty good, and there seemed to be more sun shining on Madison Square Garden then we have seen in a few years.

“At the end of the day we’re playing good basketball,” Anthony said. “That’s the only thing that matters at this point. So any negativity that’s coming towards me or towards the team, I don’t think we need it at this point…

“I feel like we’re playing good basketball, and just to have a temporary black cloud over our heads,” he said. “I don’t know when the comments were made or the gist of them, I just know something was said.”

Anthony is spot on here. Jackson isn’t wrong that Anthony can hold the ball too long, but Jackson knew that when he gave Anthony a five-year contract extension. Also, the Sports VU camera data shows Anthony is holding the ball less and dribbling a little less than previous seasons.

But the real question: What did Jackson think he would accomplish with this? He’s too smart, too calculated — he doesn’t just say things to the press without a motive. But with everything going about as well as one could hope with the Knicks, and with Anthony not at a point in his career he’s going to change his game, what’s the point?